The actor Jamie Foxx recently came under fire when he attended the
MTV Movie Awards dressed in a T-shirt showing the faces of Trayvon
Martin and some of the Sandy Hooks shooting victims. Under the picture
were the words “Know Justice, Know Peace.”
For some, adding Trayon’s face to the mix of innocent victims apparently was an insult, and they took to social media in droves to vent their outrage. Much of what they wrote was racist, offensive and culturally revealing.
As I read through some of the tweets, it became clear that the controversy was less about an actor’s attempt to make a political statement and more about how some continue to harbor deep-seated issues regarding race and privilege.
While we acknowledge and mourn the senseless killings of angelic faces in Sandy Hook (some of whom were children of color), society somehow can’t seem to muster sufficient sympathy for black males once they have reached a certain age.
It is reprehensible that Trayvon Martin and his family must be victimized again with the racist and insensitive comments and views of some people. Do these comments come from extremist or do folks simply find freedom in being able to express themselves behind the cloak of social media?
I compare social media to the effects of alcohol: Basically, a drunken mouth speaks a sober mind.
Trayvon Martin has become, in death, a symbol of society’s indifference to black male youth. CNN recently reported that a shooting instructor on a Florida police department was fired after he gave fellow officers paper targets that symbolized the slain teen.
Not only do we have folks victimizing and slandering this young man on social media, we also have a company that has manufactured and distributed Trayvon Martin shooting targets and a Florida police official who was audacious enough to purchased the targets.
This is obviously bigger than Trayvon Martin. Martin has, by default,
become the poster child for the image of young black males in this
country. The reality is that young black men are viewed as disposable,
threatening, predatory and general menaces to society.
This carefully cultivated image did not happen overnight and cannot be blamed solely on the media. The other ugly truth is that some black males play into this image and perpetuate the worst stereotypes by embracing this scripted persona.
Foxx shared with MTV hosts Josh Horowitz and Karlie Kloss that it was not his intent to make a political statement but added: “We're just thinking about the children... we're just protecting our kids.”
It is sad that some folks can’t reconcile that all of those represented on Foxx’s shirt were innocent and did not deserve to have their lives taken.
I have always said the true litmus test for society’s views on race is when we can cry as hard for a black child who has been victimized as we do for a white child.
It is unfortunate that Foxx’s intended message of “Know Justice, Know Peace” did not resonate with those who see young black males as expendable or those who reject his message that to know justice is to know peace.
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